Chiropractic helps kids and seniors, and 7 ways to keep motivated

Health-E-News February 2017 empowering you to optimal health

If you or your child suffers from constipation and have tried traditional medical approaches without success, Chiropractic care can help.

Constipation is defined as the difficulty or delays in defecation. It has been found to affect 30% of children between the ages 6-12 years old annually. The problem can first appear early at the ages of 2-4 years old and can last from several days to weeks. The causes of constipation can vary from a poor diet, lack of exercise, food allergies, spinal cord problems or irritable bowel syndrome. Other symptoms that may occur with constipation is painful defecations, small and hard stools and/or vomiting.

In this case study, a 6 year old boy was brought to see a Chiropractor seeking an alternative approach to his health-related issues, the primary issues including constipation and leg pain and secondary issues including vomiting, weight and appetite loss. The child has been experiencing these issues since the age of 2 and it was noted that the child has missed 45 days of school per year due to the pain. During an endoscopic examination, it was revealed that a small stomach ulcer was present. Prior to consulting chiropractic care, the child first visited a medical physician that suggested of change in diet and intake in more fluids would solve the child’s constipation. However, the child’s condition was more severe than expected and at the age of 4, he was provided medical prescriptions. Although medication assisted in the child experiencing bowel movements, it was described as being “hard and painful”. It was only at the age of 6 that the child was consulted to chiropractic care.

During the physical examination, it visually evident that there the child suffered from poor posture as his head tilted to the right and his right shoulder was elevated. After the consultation, the child was adjusted 3 times a week for 6 weeks. Multiple techniques such as the Diversified Technique and HVLA-type adjustments were used. Within the first week of chiropractic care, the child reported daily bowel movements that were no longer painful. After seeing much improvements, the child withdrew from the medication, had gained weight and had an increased appetite and no longer had leg pains.

If you or anyone you know suffers from hypertension and/or anxiety, chiropractic care has been shown to significantly reduce both conditions.

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses among individuals in North America. These anxiety disorders are associated with dread or fear about certain events in the future. This anxiety can essentially take over one’s thoughts and emotions and find it difficult to concentrate, sleep and experience irritability and muscle tension. Hypertension is an accumulation of high blood pressure over a longer period of time. A correlation between hypertension and anxiety has been shown. Both conditions are generally treated with medical prescriptions and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

The person that was studied in this case was a 60-year-old male who suffered from both anxiety and hypertension. He was also reported to have a severe automobile accident 10 years prior to starting chiropractic care. He used to resort to drugs and alcohol at a younger age to deal with his anxiety. However, he had stopped this and got help from a medical doctor, who prescribed him medicine that would reduce his anxiety that he has been taking for over 20 years.

This individual began chiropractic care (Thompson Technique) at 60 years old. It was noted after a physical exam that the patient had multiple subluxations at all three levels of the spine. The patient received chiropractic care twice a week for a total of six months. He reported extraordinary results, his blood pressure had dropped significantly and after consulting with his medical doctor he was in good enough condition to stop the use of the prescribed drugs.

7 Ways to Continue Your 2017 Fitness Goals

It’s now January and it’s time to start those fitness goals you set for yourself during your new year’s resolutions! It’s an exciting time to take on the challenge and make this change. What better time than the start of 2017 to make sure you get yourself in shape, healthy, and ready for warmer weather?

Most people that look great in the summer worked for it the winter before, making no time like the present to get started. How do you get in the workout spirit when the weather’s cold, the holidays are over, and you’re craving a beach vacation? Use these seven tips to kick start your 2017 fitness goals knowing that you’ll feel great in that swimsuit when it’s time for that beach vacation later this year!

Go shopping

While you were excited about those fitness goals when you wrote them down, you may not be feeling the excitement now. The hardest part about this process will be actually getting started and one way to make the process exciting from the start is to go shopping for some new workout gear. Get rid of your old baggy t-shirts and worn out running shoes; it’s time go shopping.

Treating yourself to some great new kicks, your favorite new sports bra, and comfortable clothes that fit you well will make working out more comfortable and enjoyable. The best part is that it will be easy to feel the pounds coming off when you notice these same clothes start to fit differently in a few month after you’ve put the work in. Then you can go shopping again when you’re ready for some new gear!

Talk to a trainer

Perhaps you struggle with motivation or knowing how to work out properly. It’s a great time to work with a trainer to get in shape and to do it safely. Many gyms offer free trainers with your membership and in other cases, you could hire a trainer that helps you train outdoors or accompanies you to the gym.

You may even like the idea of fitness classes where you are following the lead of an instructor, like CrossFit, yoga, Pilates, cycling, or a fitness boot camp. Sometimes it takes the push of a leader to help you through the motions and be available for questions.

Grab a partner

Do you have more fun working out when you have a friend to join you? It’s a great time to recruit a workout buddy to make working out fun. You could even grab a whole group that works out together or grab a few friends to take a class together. Friends will not only make it more fun, but they’ll keep you motivated and excited about your next gym day.

Change your diet

If you’re in the process of learning about healthier food options, start with small changes while you get the hang of things. Swap out your fries for a salad, your pancakes for eggs and sausage, and remove as much sugar from your diet as possible. Once you start to learn about healthier options, you’ll find that your favorite breads, pastas, and hamburgers can be substituted for better options too.

Increase the water

While you’re increasing your exercise and cutting from your diet, make sure you are hydrating more than ever. Sometimes when you’re hungry, it’s your body telling you that you’re actually dehydrated. Bring water with you to your workouts and be sure to drink water before meals and when you wake up in the morning.

Set reasonable goal

Take a look at your goals to make sure you’ve set realistic ones in the first place. It’s important to set achievable goals so that you can meat different milestones throughout the process. Committing to working out 7 days per week doesn’t give your body a rest while once per week may be too little to meet your goals.

Committing to a certain weight by a certain date may be a challenge too. Focus on meeting your fitness and healthy eating goals and watch the weight change and muscles improve naturally without a deadline or unhealthy tactics.

Technology is your friend

Lastly, a great trick that many are using these days is getting technology involved in their goals. Using online trackers like MyFitnessPal will help you to track your food and burnt calories. Get a wearable device that will help you track your heart rate, calories burnt, and even your sleep. Seeing weight loss or progress in your workout time will keep you motivated too.

It’s a hard time of year to be motivated in anything but you can do it with a few tricks. Try these seven ways to get you started to meet your 2017 goals!